Game and projectile therefor



Feb, 22? w3@ M. D. PRICE GAME AND PROJECTILE THEREFOR Filed March 26, 1937 Patented Feb.` 22, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a game of skill presenting a mild form of exercise and an abundance of amusement, and more particularly to a game embodying projectiles which are adapted to be thrown or catapulted towards targets.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a game embodying a target towards which small projectiles may be directed. This game may be played either indoors or outdoors and l0 may be known as javalina which term may also designate the projectiles which are used, signifying small javelins.

rThe game may be played by throwing the projectiles by placing them flat in the hand and hurling them at the target in the same manner as a knife is thrown by a knife-thrower. Further, the projectile may be cast in any other suitable way towards the target. It may further be played by catapulting the javalinas by means of a portable catapult held in the hand or by one xedly embedded in the ground.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a projectile, designated as a javalina", of a proper weight and dimensions in order that the same may be thrown accurately and experience a smooth iiight through space. The projectile is designed to have the proper weight distribution and physical dimensions so that a mild form oi exercise is obtained by its play.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a projectile which is rugged and capable of withstanding hard usage, and which further-- more is designed for either play by throwing or catapulting. It is also the object of lthe invention to provide a projectile embodying detachable heads so as to adapt the projectile to various forms of play.

Other objects and purposes will appear from a more detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying' drawing wherein,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the game illustrating one manner of playing it,

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the projectile or javalina in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 3 is a plan View of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of Figure 3,

50 Figure 5 is a front elevation of a different embodiment of the projectile from that shown in Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a detailed sectional view of the head of the projectile shown in Figure 4 embodying a detachable head, and

Figure 7 is a sectional View or the head end of a modified form of projectile from that shown in Figure 5 embodying a detachable spherical head.

The game in accordance with the present invention is played with a plurality of projectiles designated as javalinas I which are thrown or catapulted. towards a target 3 mounted upon standards 4. In Figure l is shown a heavy casting rod 2 having its butt end buried in the earth or set in concrete to a depth sufiicient to render the rod 2 secure. The portion projecting from the ground is strong and flexible and is preferably set at an angle of about 39 from the vertical, leaning towards the target. As described below the javalinas may be provided with apertures designed to t the top of the casting rod 2, and when the assembly is pulled back as shown in dotted lines and the javalina is released, it will tend to fly towards the target 3, and provide a test for the accuracy and skill of the player. In this form oi play, the exercise is derived from pulling the casting rod backwards and holding the projectile in line until the same is released. A portable casting rod held in one hand may be used in lieu of the casting rod 2 embedded in the ground for the same purpose.

The projectile shown in Figure 2 may be from 8 to 16 inches long and preferably formed of metal. Each of these projectiles is composed of three principal parts, a head i3, a shaft portion i2 and a tail portion II. The shaft portion I2 is in the form of a plane and the tail portion II is likewise in the form of a plane extending from the median line of the shaft I2 and the head I3 in a direction perpendicular to the shaft.

An aperture l@ is formed at the head end of the shaft portion I2 having a iront wall which is substantially vertical and a rear wall which ares downwardly from the upper surface to the lower surface of the shaft as shown in the drawing. This permits the javalina to be mounted upon the end of a casting rod as shown in Figure 1 and allows it to slide ofi the rod as the same is sprung from its rear position to its front position along the inclined wall of the aperture.

The tail portion l I is roughened in order to facilitate a grip on the projectile when it is used for casting by means of a catapult or else by casting it manually with the hand. Preferably the projectile is held flat in the hand and is thrown at the target in the manner of a knife being thrown by a knife-thrower. The tail portion II is shorter but wider than the shaft portion I2 and the dimension of these two parts may be apportioned so that each will have substantially the same amount of area exposed to the air. The double planes extending at right angles to each other insure a direct course, no matter how the projectile is held or thrown.

The game may be played with projectiles in which the heads are pointed as shown at i3 in Figures 2 to 4 or the heads may be spherical as shown in Figure 5, oval, or of any other design. in one preferred form of the construction, the end of the shaft portion i2 is threaded at I6 (Figures 6, '7) and is designed to mount detachably and interchangeably heads I3' and l5 of various weights and outlines depending upon the participants wishes and skill.

In order to obtain the best results in the course of playing this game, the weight of the projectile is distributed so that the center of gravity thereof rests in the head and preferably at the rear end thereof.

The javalinas may be thrown at targets of many types. These may take the form of targets shown in Figure l or the form of a closed frame having sounding gongs mounted thereon, as disclosed in my copending application, Serial "No, 124,751, filed February 8, 1937, for Games and exercising devices. Furthermore the projectiles can be thrown at marbles, ten-pins, or any other games which require an accurately thrown missile.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the game, still in practice such deviations from such details may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as dened by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A projectile forming part of a casting game comprising a rigid plane portion having a solid head connected to one end thereof and a rigid plane tail portion connected to the other end thereof integral therewith and disposed at right angles thereto, said rigid portions and head having substantial thickness and Weight.

2. A projectile for use in a game comprising a heavy head, an intermediate rigid plane section, and a rigid plane tail section at the end of said rst section opposite the head connected directly to the end of said rst section and extending from said end in a plane perpendicular thereto at the extremity of the median line of said first section.

3. A metallic projectile forming part of a game y having a solid head, a rigid plane shaft of substantial thickness having one end thereof connected with said head, and a rigid plane tail of substantial thickness connected with the other end of said shaft and disposed perpendicularly thereto at the extremity of the median line of said plane shaft.

4. A metallic projectile forming a part of a game having a head, a rigid plane shaft of substantial thickness having one end thereof connected with said head, and a rigid plane tail of substantial thickness connected with the other end of said shaft, disposed perpendicularly thereto and extending from the extremity of the rnedian line of said plane shaft, said tail being wider and shorter than said shaft.

5. A metallic projectile forming part of a casting game having a solid head, a rigid plane shaft of substantial thickness having one end thereof connected with said head, and a rigid plane tail of substantial thickness connected with the other end of said shaft, disposed perpendicularly thereto and extending from the extremity of the median line of said plane shaft, said tail being roughened to permit a tight grasp thereof for the purpose of manually casting said projectile.

6. A metallic projectile having a heavy head portion, a rigid plane shaft and a rigid plane tail extending perpendicularly from said shaft from the end of the median line thereof, the center of gravity of said complete projectile being in the head, and the plane shaft and the plane tail portion connecting at right angles at the adjoining ends of their median lines and operating to stabilize the travel of said projectile through space.

7. A projectile forming part of a game having a detachable pointed head, a rigid plane shaft and a rigid plane tail extending from said shaft perpendicularly thereto from the median extremity of said shaft, the center of gravity of said complete projectile being disposed in the base of the head.

8. A metallic projectile forming part of a game having a detachable spherical head, a rigid plane shaft of substantial thickness having one end thereof connected with said head, and a rigid plane tail of substantial thickness connected with the other end of said shaft, disposed perpendicularly thereto, at the function of the median lines of said plane shaft and tail, said tail being wider and shorter than said shaft and the center of gravity of said complete projectile being in the head.

9. A projectile for use in a game adapted to be cast manually or mechanically having a head portion, a plane shaft portion of substantial thickness and a plane tail portion extending from said plane shaft portion perpendicularly thereto at the median line, the center of gravity of said projectile being in the head portion, and an aperture at the forward end of said plane shaft portion in proximity to said head, said aperture having a vertical front wall and a rear wall flaring downwardly from the top to the bottom of said plane shaft portion adapted to receive the end of a flexible casting rod for impelling said projectile into space.

MITCHELL D. PRICE. 

